SYDNEY. – Few could have predicted the eight teams still standing when the Women’s World Cup kicked off three weeks ago– and more surprisingly, the teams who are gone.
In the most wide-open World Cup in history, Colombia and France were the last two teams to clinch quarterfinal berths Tuesday evening, joining Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Australia, and England to close the curtain on a breathtaking first two rounds full of delicious twists and turns.
When the tournament was expanded to 32 teams, there was apprehension around whether lower-ranked sides could compete at this level. But the exact opposite happened. Concerns about blowouts were blown out of the water in a changing of the guard.
Japan is the only previous World Cup champion remaining, having climbed the winners’ podium in 2011.
Gone is four-time champion United States, which was gunning to become the first team to win three in a row but was sent spinning out of the tournament before the semifinals for the first time in history.
Also gone: Two-time champion Germany, 1995 winners Norway, reigning Olympic champion Canada, and Brazil, which had not been ousted in the group stage since 1995.
“Nothing is easy in this tournament,” coach Sarina Wiegman said after England survived a last-16 scare from Nigeria before winning in a shootout.
“That’s very exciting because we see the women’s game has improved so much. You saw in the group stage, many games were equal, and it’s not that the expected teams have won all the time.”
In an end of an era, the elimination of the US, Canada and Brazil marked inauspicious World Cup finals for some of the game’s biggest trailblazers in Megan Rapinoe, Christine Sinclair, and Marta.
Others such as Colombia’s dazzling teenager Linda Caicedo, Spain’s integral midfield cog Aitana Bonmati and France’s consistently excellent striker Kadidiatou Diani have stepped into the spotlight.
Who will win now is anybody’s guess.
Japan’s “Nadeshiko”– named for a pink flower that symbolizes Japanese beauty– are on a mission to erase the memory of their last-16 exit four years ago, and are tournament favorites after trouncing Norway 3-1 in the last-16.
They will test their credentials Friday against Sweden, which dumped the US out of the tournament on a decisive penalty shot measured in millimeters.
Spain’s La Roja have already made history with their quarterfinal appearance in three tries.
They bounced back from an ugly 0-4 loss to Japan to dispatch Switzerland 5-1 in the last 16. — Reuters
